Shattered Streams/Part 3
Chapter 11= Eight moons ago Snowstorm had been away from the Clan for three sunrises. Every night as she curled up to sleep in some dark corner of the forest, grief overwhelmed her. For what, she didn’t know. Her Clan? Her leadership? Applestar, even though it had been four moons? Jadestar? She didn’t know if she could ever feel real grief for Jadestar, given what the she-cat had done. Attacking ShadowClan for revenge. If I were leader, I would never put my personal needs above my Clan’s. If she were leader? Snowstorm hadn’t thought about becoming leader since Jadestar died. Would I have made a good leader? Maybe if RiverClan wasn’t so… so… '' Bloodthirsty? Blind? Obedient? Blindly, bloodthirstily obedient? ''Maybe of another Clan? She had already considered the option of going to another Clan; RiverClan would want revenge against her for leaving. She just knew it. She would not bring battle upon an innocent Clan, not like Jadestar had. She would not be Jadestar. She sighed and swiped her tail over her ears.'' Where can I go?'' A kittypet life would never suit her. A loner would be too, well, lonely. And she couldn’t escape the Clans; even if she could find a way out of the maze of Thunderpaths and Twoleg dwellings that bordered the forest, some part of her wanted to stay near the Clans. Maybe she could venture over to ShadowClan every once in a while to see how her daughter was doing. Her daughter. She hadn’t thought much about Pondkit recently. I wonder… I hope she is treated fairly by ShadowClan. In two moons she would be ready for apprenticing. My kit… Then she remembered. There was another cat, not in the Clans, another cat that called Pondkit daughter, though he probably didn’t know it. Mushroom. ---- Snowstorm scrambled down the Twoleg path, the rough stone scraping her pads. Annoying Twolegs! Did you ''have ''to make this so painful? she thought, wincing as a particular sharp rock cut her paw. I hope I find a cat who can help me soon. Strange scents of loners and rogues had surrounded Snowstorm from the moment she entered the Twoleg’s territory, but none of them was Mushroom. She still remembered his scent from four moons ago, and it wasn’t anywhere near this place. Suddenly, one scent got much clearer and sharper than it had been before, and Snowstorm came face-to-face with a beautiful cream tabby she-cat. “What are you doing here?” Her meow was strong but not hostile. This cat may be able to help me, Snowstorm thought. “My name is Snowstorm,” she answered. “I’m looking for a cat named Mushroom?” “Never heard of him,” the tabby responded. When she saw Snowstorm’s disappointed glance, she added, “Maybe Bernard can help you. He knows everyone around here. Do you know where this ‘Mushroom’ lives?” “Well… I know he visited this barn once, but he lives in the Twolegplace south of ThunderClan territory— do you know about the Clans?” The cream she-cat nodded. “Oh, I know all about the Clans. My friend used to be a Clan cat, and he told me everything about life in the forest. I respect their life, but I could never give up being a loner here with my friends. Are you a Clan cat?” she asked. “Well… I… used to be.” The tabby didn’t press it. “I’m Nautildia, by the way. Bernard lives downstream a little. I can show you if you want.” Snowstorm was about to refuse, but then she reflected that it would be good to have a guide, especially since she didn’t know whether the other loners would be hostile or not. She nodded. “Let’s go now, then,” Nautildia suggested, and Snowstorm followed her back down the Twoleg path. ---- Snowstorm had had doubts about Nautildia at first, but as the trip went on, she found more and more evidence that Nautildia was an honest, helpful cat. When the two of them stopped to hunt a little ways into the journey, Snowstorm injured a water vole, and it strayed into Nautildia’s path, the cream tabby allowed her to finish the hunt and didn’t attempt to go after it. The she-cat also gave Snowstorm a quick tutorial on the cats who lived in the area; there were about seven adults, according to Nautildia: herself, Bernard, Fennel, the former Clan cat, a former kittypet brother-and-sister pair named Chocolate and Lollipop, a queen named Marsha, and her mate, Mudpaws. The only non-adults were Marsha and Mudpaws' kits, Butterfly, Grasshopper, Cicada, and Cricket, who were only two moons old. Bernard’s home was a large clump of reeds by the bank of the river, at the edge of RiverClan territory. Snowstorm caught a glimpse of light brown tabby fur moving among the reeds. “Bernard?” Nautildia called softly. The tabby cat stopped moving. “Is that you, Nautildia?” “Yes, it’s me. I brought a visitor to see you,” the cream tabby answered. “To see me?” Bernard emerged from the ferns. Now Snowstorm could see that he had huge green eyes, in contrast to Nautildia’s small, dainty blue ones. “Yes,” Nautildia replied. “This is Snowstorm.” “Snowstorm…” Bernard’s eyes turned thoughtful. “I’m sure I heard that name somewhere… Oh, that’s right! Mushroom mentioned it when he came on his every-three-moons visit to the barn!” “He visits every three moons?” Snowstorm leaned forward, intrigued. “Will he be coming soon?” “There’s still a half-moon left until he comes,” Bernard meowed regretfully. “You could wait for him to come, or… I might be able to help you find him.” “I’ll come!” Nautildia offered. “Naut,” Bernard teased. “She hasn’t even decided yet!” “It’s okay, I have decided,” Snowstorm said determinedly. “I want to go look for him.” “He lives in the Twolegplace south of ThunderClan territory,” Bernard told her, “but he often goes into the woods below ShadowClan territory to find prey. It will take a day or so to get to his hunting grounds.” “I’m ready,” Snowstorm replied. “Nautildia and I hunted on the way here. Have you eaten?” “Yes,” Bernard answered. “We should go now. Let me just tell Marsha and Mudpaws that I’m leaving, otherwise they’ll be wondering where we are at the two-moon council.” “The two-moon council?” Snowstorm’s ears pricked up in interest. “It’s kind of like a… what do you call it—a Gathering?—in the Clans,” Bernard explained. “All the cats that live around here come together and talk about recent happenings and things like that. And we meet every half-moon, so, it’s twice a moon, or two-moon. And… wait a moment! There’s one tonight, isn’t there?” he asked Nautildia. “No, tomorrow night,” the cream tabby reminded him. “Oh, yes,” Bernard said. “Well, I’ll be back in a minute!” He bounded out of the reeds. Nautildia sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "So, Snowstorm, why are you looking for this Mushroom?" she asked. "Well, he's my mate," Snowstorm confessed. "We had a daughter, but I left her with the Clans... I wanted her to have a chance in growing up to be a warrior." "Ah." Nautildia nodded. "Do you like life as a warrior?" "I did," Snowstorm replied. Nautildia nodded again and fell silent. After a few moments Bernard returned. "Marsha and Mudpaws say hi," he told Nautildia, "and so do their kits. I swear, that Butterfly is maybe the cutest little cat I have ever seen in my life. Anyway, we should probably go now if we want to reach his hunting grounds before sunset tomorrow." "Okay." Snowstorm stood up. "Lead the way." The three traveled for a while, chatting lightly and stopping to hunt once after sunhigh. When the sky began to darken, they made camp in a small clearing south of RiverClan territory, near the river which rushed down and down past the Twoleg dens. Snowstorm had never been this way before; it looked as though they would skirt Twolegplace and come north again to find ShadowClan territory. Snowstorm was proved right; the next day, they did just that. When they reached the edge of the forest, Bernard suggested they split up, as they could cover more ground that way and see if Mushroom was here. Snowstorm and Nautildia agreed; Nautildia took the west part, Snowstorm searched in the east, and Bernard explored the middle. Snowstorm found a stale scent that smelled vaguely like Mushroom; she followed it for a while and came to a small clearing where the scent of mice and squirrels was abundant. Maybe he comes to hunt here; there's certainly a lot of prey. She quickly caught a mouse for herself and devoured it, then began her search again. After a while in which she still had not found Mushroom, Snowstorm heard voices calling in the distance. "Snowstorm, Snowstorm." She turned toward the sound. One of the voices was undoubtedly Bernard's, and the other was... "Mushroom!" Snowstorm ran into the clearing and touched noses with her mate, then drew back. "You remember me...?" she asked anxiously. "Of course I do," Mushroom purred, and Snowstorm relaxed. "How could I forget you, Snowstorm? But why are you here now?" "I've left RiverClan," Snowstorm said. "I'll explain later. But I want to come and live with you." Her heart leaped with joy when Mushroom meowed, "I'd be delighted to have you come and live with me, Snowstorm. We are still mates and always will be." "Glad you two got back together." Nautildia's voice came from the trees; she padded out to stand beside Bernard. "But Bernard and I need to be going. We'll see you in a half-moon!" "Definitely," Mushroom called as the two cats bounded out of the clearing. "Now, Snowstorm, should I show you my home?" ---- At first, Mushroom and Snowstorm traveled through the forest at a brisk pace, but as they neared the place where the trees began to thin out, Mushroom slowed to a trot. Snowstorm walked a pace behind him, slightly wary in unfamiliar territory. Ahead, she glimpsed bright light filtering through the network of low-hanging branches and drooping leaves. Mushroom made a sharp right at the last tree and padded on, slightly faster now. Snowstorm followed him, excited at the prospect of seeing his home. Finally, they approached a tall wooden fence, identical to the one Snowstorm knew formed ThunderClan's southern border. "This way." Mushroom beckoned to her with his tail and pressed on a certain board that had a large, dark wood spot on it. It swung inward and Mushroom ducked through it, with Snowstorm hurrying after. They emerged in a wide, grassy area surrounded by fence and bordered by a large, red Twoleg den. Mushroom skirted the yard, sticking close to the fence. "This is Pineapple's yard, but she doesn't mind us coming through, and her housefolk never notice." At the southeast corner of the yard, if Snowstorm had her bearings right, he slipped into a dark hole in the ground that emerged into a small tunnel, not quite big enough for two cats to walk side by side. The tunnel wasn't long, and they soon came up into a dark, shaded alley, covered with the smell of dirt and rotten Twoleg food. Tiny blue flowers poked out of the cracks between the walls and the stone road, seeming impossibly bright in the gloomy area. Mushroom ran silently along the street, ducking sideways into a small hole just before they reached the end. The hole emptied into a small but surprisingly cozy cavern, lit by the sunlight shining through from above. There was a small nest gathered in the corner, and the remains of a large rat were carefully scraped into a pile on the other side of the cave. Mushroom went over to the animal and sniffed it. "If you're hungry, you can eat this," he said. "I'm not going to, and otherwise it's just going to go to waste." "Oh, I couldn't," Snowstorm protested. "It's your catch—" "And I want you to have it," Mushroom said. "It will take you a few days to get used to hunting here." Snowstorm doubted that it would take her that long to figure out how to hunt, but she was kind of hungry after all. She stepped over to the rat and devoured it in a few bites, licking her lips after she finished. "Should I show you around the area?" Mushroom asked. "It's easy to get lost around here. Just make sure to look for the alley with the blue violets, when you come back." "Okay," Snowstorm agreed. She followed Mushroom out of the hole, ready to explore her new home. |-|Chapter 12= Snowstorm ran headlong down the alley, making sure to check for blue violets as she passed. Yes! This is the right one. She burst into Mushroom's hole and collapsed, panting. "Are you okay?" her mate asked, looking into her panicked eyes and gasping mouth. "Dog," Snowstorm whispered. "It's all right, it's all right," Mushroom soothed her. "Dogs can't come down here, they don't fit in the tunnel and any other way into the alley was blocked up long ago. You're okay. You're okay." Snowstorm's breathing gradually slowed, and she took a deep breath and stood up. "Mushroom, I—I'm sorry, but I can't live here anymore. Every time I come home I encounter a dog. Twolegs stepping on your tail as you run through the streets. Monsters roaring around corners. I can't do it, Mushroom. I can't adapt to a loner life." Mushroom faced her. "It's okay, Snowstorm. I understand. I was raised to be used to this—you weren't. I know why you feel this way. And it's okay, because we're moving." "R—really?" Snowstorm stared at her mate in disbelief. "Yes. I would do anything for you, Snowstorm," Mushroom meowed, and as Snowstorm looked into his eyes she realized it was true. "We can travel all our lives if we have to, but we'll find a place that's right for you." "Mushroom, I—" Snowstorm couldn't find words. "Thank you." "Come on." Mushroom stepped out of the hole. "If that dog's still hanging around, it'll be with its Twoleg, I'm sure of it. They never let their dog stay off the leash for long." Snowstorm padded warily out of the hole and breathed in the fresh air, calming herself. "Okay. Let's go." Mushroom led her back through the tunnel into Pineapple's yard. When they reached the broken fence board, Snowstorm stopped, took a deep breath, and pushed through it. It was like seeing the whole world for the first time, even though she had gone on many hunting trips here with Mushroom. She was free now. She had command of her life. She turned to the right, walking slowly at first, then speeding up until she and Mushroom were bounding side by side, letting their laughter loose in the wind and watching the scenery blur past. This is what real freedom is like. ---- They stopped to shelter for the night in an old barn filled with straw and mice, and, in doing so, met a friendly cat named Pancake. Pancake told them that she had once been a kittypet living near the barn with her Twoleg until they died and she was left to live alone. She was glad to give Snowstorm and Mushroom a place to sleep, and they collapsed eagerly on the comfortable straw to spend the night. In the morning, Snowstorm and Mushroom continued their journey, and soon glimpsed in the distance a forest of tall pines amongst the open, sunny meadows they traveled in. Snowstorm instinctively sped up, Mushroom following her, as if some invisible force was calling them to that place. Once in the forest, Snowstorm relaxed. She was familiar with the trees. Even though there weren't as many on RiverClan's territory as ThunderClan's or ShadowClan's, she still felt comfortable in the wilderness. And there was even a stream running through it! Perfect. She did a test swipe through the water, and satisfaction filled her when her claws connected with a silver-scaled fish. Mushroom came over to stand next to her. "Wow. Can you teach me how to do that?" Snowstorm purred. "Of course." She taught Mushroom several different methods for hunting fish, and even began to show him how to swim. As the day wore on she began to realize that this might be the place. This is where I want to live. She told Mushroom this, and he agreed. "There's food, water, shelter, everything we need. Plus it's clear you're happy here. I vote we stay." Joy filled her. "Thank you, Mushroom!" "Anything for you, Snowstorm," he replied. "Anything." ---- They spent the rest of the day making a sort of camp for themselves in a comfortable corner of the forest, close enough to the stream that they could hear its water running. By the time the sun began to fall towards the horizon, they were both exhausted, and glad to curl up next to each other to sleep. "I might go hunting early tomorrow," Mushroom whispered to Snowstorm as their eyes fell closed. "So don't worry if I'm gone." "Okay..." Snowstorm muttered drowsily. She dreamed of peaceful times, before Applestar's death when the camp was full of joy and the greenleaf sun shone into camp. She remembered her joy of getting Gingerpaw as an apprentice. She went even further back, to receiving her warrior name and her apprentice name, and finally, opening her eyes and seeing the world for the first time. Would I undo it all? If Jadestar had never become leader, would I feel happier? But then I would never have come to live with Mushroom, she realized. I never would have discovered this beautiful place. If I did it all again, I would make the same choices. |-|Chapter 13= In the morning, Mushroom was nowhere to be seen. Snowstorm wasn't worried—he had told her he might go hunting, after all. She sat up and instantly realized that she was surrounded by cats. "Come with us." The meow came from a dark brown tom, and sounded more like an order than a request. Snowstorm realized she was outnumbered, and so nodded and stood. She supposed the brown cat must be the leader of the group; he was standing in front of them and spoke with an authority of a Clan leader. They marched through the forest. Snowstorm studied the cats as she walked. Too many for me to fight, unless they're all really bad at combat. Somehow she didn't think that was likely. Their pelts came in mostly brown, red, orange, and yellow shades, occasionally with white markings. They had very large paws, and seemed to be strong and powerful. Another thing she noticed was that they were all toms. I wonder why? After a while they came to a clearing in the forest, which Snowstorm supposed must be their camp. As they entered, she looked around and realized that all the cats were toms. Every single one. There wasn't a she-cat to be seen. They stopped in the middle of the camp. The dark brown tom nodded at a smaller cream-and-brown tom, who trotted forward eagerly and peered at Snowstorm through the circle. "Is she the one they spoke of to you?" the leader asked. "I think so," the younger tom replied. "She certainly could be the 'kit of white' they mentioned." Who's 'they?' Snowstorm wondered. It kind of sounded like 'kit of white' was a line from a prophecy, which might mean that these cats had a connection with StarClan... or their ancestors. These were definitely not Clan cats, that was for sure. The leader nodded slowly. "You may go, Storm. I must think on this." He turned to two of the cats surrounding Snowstorm. "Carrot, White-owl, take her to the kits' den and keep her there." A ginger tom and a white tom with brown flecks (the ginger one was probably Carrot and the white-and-brown one White-owl, Snowstorm thought) dipped their heads and directed Snowstorm toward a den made out of a bush. Once she sat down, they stood in front of her, presumably preventing her from leaving. Snowstorm sighed and curled up, attempting to warm herself. Oh, how did I get myself into this mess? We should have checked for scents before we just settled in! Oh well. Regrets wouldn't help her now. All she could do was wait and see what happened. ---- Around sunhigh, the leader (Snowstorm had heard from cats in camp talking that his name was Mud) came to her den. "You are now a temporary resident of the Cats of the Soil," he said. "You will do what we tell you and you will not attempt to escape. You must give us kits before you leave." Kits? "Or we will die." A flash of worry showed in Mud's green eyes. "You are the first she-cat in many moons. We have not gotten any new juveniles since Storm reached six moons of age. I am sorry to inconvenience you, but the rogues have left us without she-cats." Snowstorm dipped her head, her mind whirling. They... can't find any she-cats? How did that happen? I'm guessing juveniles are like apprentices... I wonder who the rogues are? "Now." Mud faced the crowd of cats that had gathered behind them while he was talking. "Whose turn is it?" Several cats, including Snowstorm's guardian White-owl, raised their tails. "Mine!" Mud sighed; Snowstorm guessed this had happened several times before. "Walnut, you're too young. You only became an adult a moon ago. And White-owl, Turtle has told you that you can't have kits. Tomato, Ocean, Sander, you had turns very recently. I choose Oak, and no more arguing." A lot of cats looked disappointed, but many congratulated Oak, who was a reddish-brown tabby tom that looked a little younger than Mud. His yellow eyes gleamed with anticipation and excitement. I wonder what they're talking about...? She found out the very next day. ---- Carrot announced a new visitor just after sunrise—Oak. Her two guards left to stand outside as Oak padded into her den and sat beside her. Snowstorm was glad to see that his gaze was warm and compassionate. "So." He took a deep breath. "I bet you're wondering what this is all about." Snowstorm nodded politely. "I'd best start from the beginning," he said. "None of us remembers much about kithood, but we all recall one thing—being raised by a she-cat named Metal. She and her sister, Pigeon, were rogues that came into the area when we were kits. Metal nursed us—''all'' of us—until we were six moons old, then left us to fend for ourselves. "We managed, somehow, although it helped that Pigeon, Metal, and some other rogues named Jack, Spike, and Smite left us prey occasionally. We gave ourselves names and started to learn about the world by ourselves. "Eventually we learned about reproduction. And how you need toms and she-cats to have kits. Before we hadn't even known that it was unusual not to have any she-cats. And we learned that if no kits were born, we'd die out. "We knew that was a bad thing. Mud kept telling us that—even as a juvenile, he was like our leader. He knew everything. He always spied on the rogues, and he told us little secrets that we weren't supposed to know. The rogues basically control our whole lives, you see. And that's how we learned that we had parents. Pigeon and Metal and the rest weren't our real mothers and fathers. There were some other cats, before. "'Before' became heaven. We always imagined what it was like before—''before the rogues came, before our parents disappeared. And then we finally realized our parents weren't just gone—they were ''dead. "Well, that broke our spirits. We started resorting to desperate measures—kidnapping every she-cat that passed through the area, and having kits with them. You see, sometimes the rogues allow Stonebrook, who's Metal's daughter, to have kits with us, but almost never. And, you heard Mud, lately there just haven't been as many cats here. Maybe because their friends have gone back and warned them. Oh, yes, we let you go back," he added, as Snowstorm tilted her head. "After your kits are six moons old. You get to go back." "My kits?" Snowstorm asked. "Yes," Oak said. He laughed bitterly. "You haven't guessed yet? It's my turn, and I get to have kits with you." |-|Chapter 14= Snowstorm gasped in horror and stumbled backwards, her back hitting the edge of the bush den. "I—I'm sorry, but I can't do that," she stuttered, still reeling. "I completely understand," Oak said. "But—Mud won't let you leave. Ever. Unless you cooperate." "Can't you ask him?" Snowstorm asked, aghast. "I want you to go free, believe me!" Oak meowed. "I—I just can't let us die out. The cats of the soil are my family. We—I can't abandon them." Even though Snowstorm realized his predicament, a streak of defiance swept through her. I did it. "I—I can't," she repeated, instead of attempting to explain her leaving RiverClan. Oak nodded. "Some she-cats don't agree. I really wish Mud would let you leave, though... I'm sorry..." He backed out of the den, leaving Snowstorm alone. ---- For the rest of the day, Snowstorm lay miserably in her den, refusing to talk to anyone. Not that any of the toms ever tried to strike up a conversation with her, except for the constant refrain of Mud saying, "I really hope you'll change your mind" and "I thought you'd realize how important this was to us" and all those kinds of things. Will these cats ever let me leave? ---- Just before sundown, Snowstorm heard a commotion at the front of the camp. She sat up immediately, straining to see what was going on through Carrot and White-owl. Neither of them were attempting to obstruct her view, as they were both looking towards the entrance to the camp too. "Is my mate here?" said a familiar voice. Mushroom! Snowstorm jumped up and pushed past her guards. They both made indignant sounds and bounded after her, but Mud put up his tail to stop them. "Wait. We'll see what he has to say first." "I'm here for my mate," Mushroom told Mud forcefully. "Stop holding her captive. She will never have kits with one of you." Wait. How did he know...? Snowstorm shook her head. Never mind that. This was her chance to escape these cats! Mud sighed in response to Mushroom. "I... Storm, what do you think?" The same cream-and-chocolate tom Snowstorm had seen earlier bounded forward. "I think we should let her go. The prophecy foretold that a white cat would save us, and she can't do that if she's cooped up in here." Mud nodded. "I believe you, Storm. She shall go free." Relief filled Snowstorm. "Thank you so much! I—I'll try to help you," she promised. "I'm sorry I'm leaving you, but I have to be with my mate." Mud nodded again. "We understand. Goodbye." "Goodbye." Snowstorm dipped her head and left the camp with Mushroom by her side. They walked in silence for a few moments, then Snowstorm asked, "How did you know where to find me?" Mushroom lifted his head. "If you want to know, it was that cat Oak. He was out hunting, he said, and he found me, and I told him I was looking for a white she-cat, and he told me to follow his scent to the camp." Out hunting... near our camp? That didn't seem likely. Maybe Oak was helping me, trying to find a cat and tell them aboutt me. He did say that he wanted me to go free... "So... what happened to you? How come it took you so long, if Oak helped you?" "Well..." Mushroom wouldn't meet her eyes. "I... kind of ran into the same problem you did. Except with she-cats." "And?" Snowstorm stared at her mate. "And... well... let's say, I didn't escape as quickly as you did." Snowstorm's heart dropped. "You're not saying...?" "I swear, I didn't want to." Mushroom was pleading now. "They forced me, Snowstorm. And... and they seemed so worried about the future of their group. I couldn't say no. Please, forgive me." "Mushroom." Snowstorm turned to face her mate. "I can forgive you... on one condition. You swear never to call that she-cat your mate, nor her kits your kits." "I swear." Mushroom's yellow eyes looked straight into Snowstorm's blue ones this time. "You are my only mate in this world and the only cat I love." "Wait." Snowstorm stopped him from walking forward with her tail. "I have to tell you something. After that day I met you at the barn... I—we—had a daughter. Her name is Pondkit. She's about five moons old right now... she lives in ShadowClan." "You gave her away?" Mushroom looked incredulously at Snowstorm. "Our daughter?" "I didn't want her to live a loner life," Snowstorm said softly. "I wanted her to be with the Clans, even if she didn't have a mother or a father. In three-quarters of a moon she'll become an apprentice... it's not fair to her to deny her the chance to become a warrior just because her parents don't want to live Clan life." Mushroom took a deep breath. "That—I understand. Now I realize... Of course she should have a chance to grow up like you did. I—Snowstorm, I just want you to know that I'm still glad I am her father." "Of course." Snowstorm glanced down. "I—I hope you're okay with never getting to know her." "But I will." Mushroom's eyes sparkled. "You'll tell me everything about her. That's how we'll pass the time, getting to know our daughter even though she is so far away." ---- Eventually, Mushroom and Snowstorm came to the remains of their old camp. The grass had been flattened by so many cats walking over it, and their nests were scattered and torn apart. "We can't stay here," Snowstorm realized. "The cats of the soil will come after me, I'm sure, if word gets out we're still in the area." "So we have to leave," Mushroom said. "We can find another place to live." "But—" Snowstorm couldn't. She still felt that tug, that pull toward the place she had noticed when they first saw it. "I can't just leave them here at the mercy of the rogues. Wait, you said—there was a separate camp? With just she-cats? And they kidnapped you... because you were a tom?" "Yes!" Mushroom turned to her, eyes widening. "You don't think... what if the rogues did something to them? Something to split them up?" "That would make sense!" Snowstorm said. "Oak told me the rogues basically control their lives. I bet they wanted to gain power in the forest—that's the kind of thing rogues that visit the Clans like to do, the kind of thing that makes them different from loners. And keeping the toms and she-cats apart... that would ensure their dependence on the rogues to stay alive. I bet the toms and she-cats don't even know about the other camps, and that's why they kidnap cats that pass through." "You're right!" Mushroom said. "I—we can't leave them now, now that we know what's going on. We have to help." "We do," Snowstorm replied. "And I think I know how." |-|Chapter 15= Snowstorm and Mushroom walked slowly up to the crowd of bushes. "If we're not careful, this could go, very, very badly," Mushroom whispered. "You're right," Snowstorm answered. "So that's why you're going first." Mushroom approached the cat on guard, a red-and-black speckled she-cat. "Hello. You remember me?" The cat turned her green eyes to Mushroom. "Oh, yes. Pollen's expecting your kits." Pollen. Snowstorm turned the name over and over in her mind. Somehow she couldn't seem to imagine what the she-cat might look like. Mushroom's not-mate. "Yes," Mushroom said to the guard. "And my mate is here too." Snowstorm stepped out of the bushes. The she-cat showed no surprise at the sight of her. "And your name is?" "Snowstorm," she replied. "So what do you want?" the red-and-black cat asked. "We..." Snowstorm began. "We have information that could change your lives. We need to speak with your leader." ---- It was funny, Snowstorm later reflected, how similar her entry to the she-cats' home was to the toms' camp. The she-cat leader, a pale ginger cat with black stripes named Watermelon, called to a young light brown-and-black she-cat and asked her if Snowstorm could be the white cat in the prophecy, and she responded yes. Snowstorm wondered what the prophecy was, and decided it wouldn't be rude to ask. "Excuse me, but what is this prophecy you refer to?" she questioned Watermelon. "Lark, tell her the prophecy," Watermelon ordered the light brown she-cat. She nodded and recited: "No cat in the forest Will ever be the kit of white But if she comes You will see freedom's light." Snowstorm thought back to her stay in the toms' camp. Storm, the young tom Mud had consulted about Snowstorm, had said something about her being "the kit of white." It almost sounded like the two cats had received the same prophecy. Is that even possible? I guess so, because usually the medicine cats share prophecies with each other, but these two cats couldn't have, because they didn't even know each other existed... Snowstorm shook her head. She was confusing herself. "So, you think I am the kit of white, and I will free you. That's actually what I came here to talk to you about." "Really?" Lark asked. Her face lit up. "We're finally going to get rid of the rogues?" "Well, I'd like to help you try," Snowstorm said. She faced Watermelon. "Can I sit down with you for a moment?" ---- Watermelon listened to Snowstorm's explanation with a lot of disbelieving and surprised looks, but at the end she seemed to accept what Snowstorm had said. "So... if I come to the toms' camp, with some of my other cats, we can overthrow the rogues together?" "Hopefully," Snowstorm said. The tabby considered her for a moment, then nodded. "Let's do this," she said. ---- "Snowstorm." Mud greeted her with a quick glance of surprise. "What brings you to our camp again?" "I have a few cats I'd like you to meet." Snowstorm stepped aside to reveal Watermelon and Tile, the deputy of the she-cats. "These are the leader and deputy of the she-cats' group, across the forest. They've been raised by the same rogues that your group has, and we have reason to believe that you were originally one group. Watermelon and Tile will explain everything." Mud's eyes widened a bit as she spoke, but nodded. "You should come inside. My deputy and I will talk with you." After the toms' deputy, Vine, was summoned, Snowstorm, Mushroom, Tile, and Watermelon sat in Mud's den with the two toms. They talked late into the afternoon, only stopping when they were sure their plan was secure. At sunset, Mud nodded at Watermelon. "I have talked to my adults. They are ready. Bring your cats." Watermelon, Tile, and Snowstorm alternated bringing groups of she-cats to the toms' camp. Once they were all there, Mud and Watermelon gave them the plan. Snowstorm gave the signal. As one, they moved through the forest, toward the middle of the trees where Snowstorm now knew was the rogues' camp. Near the center they split up into two groups, and slowly, carefully crept up toward the camp. The rogues' guard, a white tom with tiny black markings on his head, was subdued almost immediately. "Bring us to your leaders," Mud said. "Don't make us fight." At first the cat resisted, but when he saw how many cats they'd brought, he gave in. The first group of cats, along with Mushroom and Snowstorm, surrounded the dens, not bothering to be quiet now. As the rogues woke, their eyes widened, seeing the cats in their camp. A black tom with white markings and blue eyes hissed at them, his teeth showing. "What do you want?" "This is our forest," Watermelon said. "It was our home before you came. And you're going to leave right now." "Oh, we are, are we?" This time a black-and-white she-cat spoke up, her green eyes boring into their skulls. "What are you going to do if we don't, huh?" "Can't you see?" Snowstorm meowed. "You're outnumbered." At these words the other half of the Cats of the Soil emerged from the bushes. The rogues' eyes grew even larger and the fur on their spines rose. "Get out," Mud growled. Finally the rogues seemed to realize they had no choice. "We'll leave," a tuxedo tom replied, his mew quavering. The others nodded. They opened a gap in their ranks, and the rogues left the camp, walking at first and then picking up speed. When they could no longer hear the sound of their paws breaking twigs and crashing through bushes, Watermelon nodded at a few cats. "Go check if they're really gone." They obeyed, and as they ran off, Watermelon turned to Mud. "I think we should form some sort of treaty. Our camps are coming together as one." "Yes," Mud replied. "I agree." |-|Chapter 16= For the next ten moons or so, Snowstorm and Mushroom lived with the Cats of the Soil. Snowstorm became good friends with several of them, including Turtle, a tan-and-white patched tom, Dewy, a lilac tabby she-cat, and Crescent, a ginger tabby she-cat. They often went hunting together, laughing about something-or-other or telling stories about how they had found happiness even under the rogues' rule. Snowstorm found their stories interesting, intent on discovering more about their lifestyle. She learned that just like the Clans, they had ceremonies, but instead of apprentices and warriors, they were called juveniles and adults. Elders, queens, leaders, and deputies were the same. Mud and Watermelon had decided that Watermelon would become leader and Mud would be her deputy. Snowstorm approved of this choice, as Watermelon had proven to be dependable, thoughtful, and strong-minded as well as commanding yet compassionate. Watermelon's first duty as leader was to perform adult ceremonies for two juveniles, Glen and Rain. As Watermelon pronounced them adults, Snowstorm studied the two cats. They looked about the same age, and while Glen was a tipped tom and Rain a patched she-cat, Snowstorm could see the same gleam in their blue eyes. What if... what if they're related? They could be... maybe even brother and sister. Oak told me that the camps have been separated since kithood. Snowstorm felt a wave of sympathy for them. Imagine growing up and never knowing you had a sibling. Even though Snowstorm's brother, Icewater, was many moons older than her, they had always shared a kinship no other cats had... at least, until he had supported Jadestar's attack. A flash of anger soared through her. These cats are so much better than RiverClan! They would never do something like that. This is why I want to stay here and not there. She wondered if she and Mushroom would live with these cats forever. Would that make me happy? Then she realized, she knew the answer. Had known it, from the moment she'd left RiverClan. I can't forever leave the Clans behind... or at least not, someone in the Clans. I can't leave my daughter. ---- They departed one cold morning when the frost sparkled on the grasses and flowers of the forest. Everyone was up to say goodbye to them. Oak was the last to go. "Snowstorm, Mushroom, we couldn't have become one group without you two. And," he said, addressing Snowstorm, "I'm sorry we kidnapped you. I'm sorry we were going to force you to have kits with us. I'm sorry for everything." "You've already apologized, Oak," Snowstorm said, looking into his eyes. "You've apologized a million times. And I've told you, I forgive you. It wasn't your fault. It was the rogues'. You are good cats, I can see. And I will carry all of you in my heart for the rest of my life." "Goodbye," Oak said softly. "Goodbye," Snowstorm said. Mushroom nodded. They turned and padded out of the camp. They had no sooner spotted the edge of the forest when Snowstorm heard crashing in the undergrowth. She and Mushroom turned and saw a little cream-colored tom panting behind them. "I—I want to come with you," he gasped. "I'm Storm." Snowstorm remembered that he was the tom the prophecy had been given to. "You want to come with us? Why?" "I—I don't like living with a group," he said. "I like to be alone... and I don't have any family left. I'd like to live with you." Mushroom was already nodding when Snowstorm said yes. "You can come with us, Storm. I understand your need to get away from crowds sometimes... it was part of the reason I left my former home. Come with us and I'll tell you my story." ---- Snowstorm did tell him the story, the first time she'd shared it with anyone since it had happened. She had given Mushroom a quick summary of it, but he hadn't heard her descriptions until now. Storm and Mushroom were a very understanding audience—they stayed silent throughout the entire telling, though Snowstorm could tell what they were thinking at points because of their expressions. After she was done, they didn't try to make her tell more—they just walked on. They could have traveled faster, but they took their time, cutting across the countryside in various different directions for absolutely no reason. Snowstorm didn't mind. She was in no hurry to see Pondkit—surely now Pondpaw—again, despite how much she missed her daughter—she still didn't want to get too close to RiverClan before she was ready. Storm and Mushroom asked no questions when Snowstorm led them in the opposite direction for a few days, then doubled back to continue the way they had been going before. The moon had been full when they'd left the cats of the soil. Now, as the air grew colder and frost formed on trees and snow fell from the sky every day, it slowly shrunk and shrunk until one day it disappeared from the sky. And as they continued traveling, as the it grew from a crescent to a semicircle to a gibbous until finally it was full once more. And on that day they came to a Twolegplace which they skirted, and to the east of that Twolegplace they saw pine forests, and as they walked farther the ground became softer until they smelled cat scent, the kind of woodsy needles and resin. They had come to the territory of ShadowClan. ---- To avoid crossing paths with a ShadowClan patrol, Snowstorm led Mushroom and Storm around Clan territory and through the path that led to Fourtrees. "If you wait here, I'll see if I can find some cat to take me to Pond..." Snowstorm trailed off before she said her daughter's suffix—there was no way of knowing what her name was now. But Mushroom and Storm understood, and nodded. She ventured carefully forward through the tunnel she and Pondkit had taken so many moons ago, to get to ShadowClan. No sooner had she set foot on ShadowClan's mossy ground than she scented cats and spotted three cats coming toward her. One with a dark gray pelt, clearly the oldest in the trio, a younger warrior with a brown-and-cream tortoiseshell pattern, and a small black apprentice with blue eyes. "What are you doing here?" the gray warrior asked, and at that moment Snowstorm remembered who she was. Weedstorm, the warrior that had confronted her and Pondkit when she was bringing the latter to ShadowClan. The tortoiseshell warrior was her apprentice, Fennelpaw. Probably not her apprentice anymore, Snowstorm realized, I've been gone for a long time. "I wish to speak with—" Snowstorm cut herself off. No way are they going to let me just barge into their camp just to talk with her. I have to tell them my story. ---- Weedstorm remembered her, though Fennelleaf, as she was now called, did not. Her apprentice Songpaw had been a kit when Snowstorm had visited before—Weedstorm told her that he was one of the sons of Mottlepelt, the she-cat that had fostered Pondkit. "So, is Pondkit—" Fennelleaf answered her. "She's Pond''bubble'' now. Greatest medicine cat apprentice we've ever had, other than Birchstripe, of course." A medicine cat? Snowstorm didn't know why she felt so surprised, maybe because she'd been thinking of her daughter as a warrior all these moons. But she found she wasn't very disappointed about it. "I bet she's amazing," she whispered. Songpaw jumped in. "She is! My brother Smokepaw got really sick one time when Birchstripe was at the half-moon meeting and Pondbubble fixed him right up!" Snowstorm smiled at the thought. "I'm not surprised. But—do you think Ravenstar will let me see her?" she asked, addressing Weedstorm now. The gray warrior nodded. "I'm sure he will. He's indebted to you for telling him about the attack. We could have lost so much more than we did." Snowstorm blushed a bit. "I couldn't just let it happen. No cat would have." "All of your Clanmates did," Weedstorm reminded her. "It takes real bravery to break the warrior code, even if you're doing it for the right reasons." Snowstorm didn't answer because they had reached the camp. Weedstorm and Fennelleaf escorted her to Ravenstar's den while Songpaw went off, probably to tell his fellow apprentices all about their encounter with her. Ravenstar saw her immediately. "You can talk to Pondbubble in the medicine den," he said. Snowstorm thanked him and entered the fern-surrounded cove that formed the medicine den. She saw her daughter right away. Oh, I can't believe how much you've grown... "Pondbubble?" she called softly. "Do you remember me?" "Snow—Snowstorm?" the cat responded, dropping the herbs she was sorting. "My—my mother." They needed no more words. The two cats embraced over the pile of leaves on the floor. Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Content (Qibli77)